can i really do this anymore?
by mrs zhaila vale
Summary: my view of what should have happened in Ethiopia between dante and zhalia


This is my first huntik story; I don't think I could have done it without my very patient beta reader 'for the kingdom' thanks a bunch I don't think I could have started this story without you.

"Yes, that's the connection between the queen of Sheba and King Solomon; the forbidden romance!" Sophie exclaimed. Knocking me out of my daydream, we all turned to Dante waiting for him to tell us the plan,

"Tomorrow we leave for the desert," he announced with a smile.

"If you wish it," Otto replied.

"Indeed we do." Dante smiled. "But even if we find the golden asp and the legendary titan of mind, it won't compare to the treasure of Otto's dinner." He said turning to Otto to thank him for the wonderful meal.

Sophie and Lok both laughed at this, and even I couldn't help the smile that pulled at my lips. (Who is 'I'? This should be established in the first scene.)

Ugh. The worst thing about Ethiopia was how cold the nights were. I just couldn't handle them and I was having trouble getting to sleep. God, on nights like this I wished I was back in Prague.

"Can't sleep?" Dante's voice startled me out of my thoughts for the second time that day.

"Yeah, something like that," I mumbled as he sat next to me on Otto's old couch; he sat so close that our legs brushed every so often.

"Zhalia, can I talk to you for a minute?" He whispered.

"Yeah, sure Dante," I replied.

"Well, you see, the thing is Zhalia, I just, well, ugh." he laid his head into his hands and turned away from me.

"Dante, what's wrong?" I asked. "Is it about Metz?"

"It's just that…" he tried again.

"Just what?" I asked, trying to figure him out. Dante was a hard man to read and when his words did not communicate his thoughts, I could not predict them.

"Never mind; it doesn't really matter anyway," he sighed.

"Do you not trust me, Dante?" I whispered meekly.

"Do you expect me to after what you did to my team?" he snapped.

"Well, I'm sorry for asking such a stupid question. After this mission I'll leave, if that's how you feel," I whispered, irritated, as I stood and made for the door, trying to leave the room before my traitor's (Is she talking about Dante or herself when she says traitor?) eyes started to weep. "I thought you understood." I started up the stairs to the room I shared with Sophie.

"Zhalia wait. I didn't mean it," he jumped up and grabbed my arm, spinning me round. "I don't want you to leave, Zhalia. That's the opposite of what I want! I lo—"

"No, Dante," I cut him off. "You said it yourself: 'Why say it if you don't mean it?'" I yanked my arm out of his grip, raced up the stairs and threw myself across my bed, having forgotten about the girl sleeping across the room.

The next morning, I woke to Sophie shaking my shoulders, asking if I had been crying. What the hell? I thought and hurried into the bathroom. Looking in the mirror, I noticed my eyes were wet and blotchy. Great. Just great. After sorting myself out, I walked quietly down the stair and stood next to Dante.

"Everyone ready?" he asked, pretending as if last night had never happened.

"I think so," I replied without emotion, which caused Sophie and Lok to give me strange looks as Dante sighed and walked towards the window.

Lok asked Otto if there were any spiders in the desert that we were headed off to.

Otto replied, "I think so, but why should that matter? I thought you were looking for a snake."

I couldn't help but smile at my friend's joke. Then Dante called us over to the window, saying we had bigger problems then spiders.

"Is it mind control?" questioned Lok.

"No seeker could control all these minds, could they?" Sophie pondered.

"Only one; the Professor," I said quietly.

"Otto go round back and get the car," Dante spoke up. "Seekers, let's go."

We all walked outside as Dante whispered, "No sudden movement." I wonder who that was aimed at. Lok; that boy thought with his titans.

"Um, hello? We're just heading to the corner store to get some T.P." Lok said nervously.

Did he seriously just say that? Damn, that boy needed his head examined.

"Destroy the Huntik Foundation!" the villagers shouted.

"The Professor has messed with their minds! We'll have to fight them, but remember: they are not the enemy," Dante warned us, as the villagers charged us like a herd of angered rhinoceros.

This isn't good if we don't get out of here now there's going to be a major battle "the professor must have given them powers, so we can't fight them without using ours" i shouted to Dante.

"Ok we have to fight but only defence we don't want to hurt anybody, we just need to get to Otto's car." Dante instructed

As we ran to Otto's car, I realised Dante and I were still a good team. I guess I should have let him talk last night. I just wished he would realise how much I loved him, even if he didn't love me back. God, I thought with disgust. Since when did I become girly girl? Ugh, stupid emotions. Stupid heart.

Dante knocked me out of my thoughts again by saying "It's nice to see you haven't lost your edge, but I think you got a scrape or two." As he tilted my head – damn, would he ever make up his mind? Did he hate me or what?

Am I speaking to myself now? Could it have gotten any worse? Now my own body was betraying me; my heart thumping like a school girl with a crush, just the kind I hated. He smiled at me and I returned it. Why the hell did I do that? I hated him! I hated him, I hated him! Aw hell, who was I kidding? I was in love with Dante Veil.


End file.
